Inner speech is not a universal experience.

The variability of inner speech suggests that thinking does not rely on a single format.

Lack of inner speech is sometimes referred to as anendophasia.

Studying internal experiences remains methodologically challenging due to reliance on self-report.

For many people, thinking comes with a voice. An internal stream of words narrates our day: planning dinner, rehearsing conversations, reflecting on decisions. This phenomenon (commonly referred to as inner speech) feels so natural that it is often assumed to be universal. It is typically described as a kind of internalized language, experienced through auditory imagery, often resembling one’s own voice, as if we are silently speaking to ourselves.

A Growing Catalogue of "Unusual" Experiences

Over the past decade, there has been a noticeable rise in discussions around what are often framed as unusual perceptual conditions. Much of this attention can be traced back to earlier interest in synesthesia, where sensory modalities blend in unexpected ways. From there, the conversation expanded to include aphantasia (the absence of visual imagery) and its counterparts, where individuals report extremely vivid mental images. These discussions opened the door to a broader exploration of internal experience: What does it actually feel like to think?

As interest grew, so did recognition of variability. Some people can vividly picture scenes, replay music in their minds, or simulate tactile sensations. Others report little to none of this. And increasingly, it seems that these differences are not isolated to a single sensory modality. More........

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